Sikar

Sikar was the largest and the richest ‘thikana’ (Feudal State) under Jaipur. The town was modelled to resemble the city plan of Jaipur. The walled city has lofty buildings, a massive fort and an array of splendid havelis and temples ornate with beautiful frescoes. It is now one of the two districts of Shekhawati, the other being Jhunjhunu. Worth a visit are Sikar's large market, the clock tower and the painted Biyani havelis.

There is one haveli painted only in blue, suggestive of the typical Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Other attractions include Sagarmal Sodhani Haveli, Madho Niwas-Kothi. Jubilee Hall & Fort are worth visiting. The fort and temples of Gopinath, Raghunath and Madan Mohan with commendable frescoes are absolutely exemplary. Area closeby has Jeen Mata Temple and Harsh Nath Temple.

Excursion

Forts
Lachhmangarh : One of the most imposing forts in the Shekhawati region, Lachhmangarh commands a bird’s eye view of the town modeled to resemble the city plan of Jaipur. Founded in the early 19th century by Raja Lachhman Singh of Sikar, the town has some lovely havelis. { Book Forts Tours }

Temples
Rambagh: Founded in the late 18th century by the Poddars, the Shani Temple has delicately painted frescoes. Marvellous cenotaphs of the Poddars have exquisitely painted ceilings. The Ganga Temple and some beautiful havelis add interest to the town.

Khatu Shyamji: The village is famous for the Shri Shyamji Temple,builtin whitemarble.

Sakambhari: Famous for its 7th century temple dedicated to Sankari Mata, the town is surrounded by hills on three sides. An ideal picnic spot.

Harsh Nath Temple (11 kms): An ancient 10th century temple situated on the Harsh Nath hills is worth seeing.

Jeen Mata Temple (29 kms): Believed to have been built a thousand years ago, the temple is the venue of a colourful fair held twice in a year during ‘Navaratras.’

Cities
Fatehpur: Founded in mid-15th century by Fateh Khan - a Kayamkhani Nawab, the town is noted for unmatched frescoes. Its central location attracted many wealthy merchants and hassome exquisite havelis, which are a combination of the Indian and the western styles. Of particular note among these are the Chamariya and Singhania havelis.

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Shopping
The shopping markets include Station Road Market, Jatia Bazar and Fatehpuri Gate Bazar.

Getting There
By Air
Sikar can be approached by road from Delhi, Jaipur or Bikaner, all of which are connected by air.

By Rail
The Shekhawati Express runs daily between Delhi, and Jaipur stopping at Jhunjhunu, Mukundgarh and Sikar.

By Road
The town of Sikar is connected by road with Jaipur, Delhi and Bikaner.
Local Transport: Jeeps, unmetered taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and tongas.

Near Cities
Jaipur - 170 km
Nawalgarh - 25 km
Jhunjhunu - 69 km

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